Help identify graffiti tags daubed on properties across Northamptonshire

Stephanie Weaver

Help is needed to track down those responsible for a trail of tags being left on walls, underpasses and buildings.

Two tags which keep appearing in Wellingborough and Finedon have been highlighted as part of Operation Illustration, a countywide initiative which aims to reduce graffiti-related anti-social behaviour.

PCSO Phil Wane is the officer behind the initiative and he is appealing for help in identifying these or any of the other graffiti tags appearing on residential and commercial property across the county.

He said: “I have one day a month dedicated to it and I can get 300 to 400 new tags every time I do it.

“People come from outside the county to tag in Northamptonshire.”

Wavey J has been daubed on property in Finedon, including at Finedon Recreation Ground and also the allotments in Wellingborough Road.

The RAD tag has been seen at numerous locations in Wellingborough

PCSO Wane said: “I have no intelligence on who the offender is, and I have made a small appeal through Twitter, but with no results.”

Another tag appearing across Wellingborough is RAD, which has been spotted at locations including Mill Road, Westfield Road, Castlefields Park and Croyland Park.

PCSO Wane said RAD has been tagging throughout Wellingborough since last summer and they are developing their style and increasing the size of their work.

He added: “RAD is tagging residential properties, council street furniture, council structures and highways agency structures throughout Wellingborough.”

RAD is tagging residential properties, council street furniture, council structures and highways agency structures throughout Wellingborough

PCSO Phil Wane

When PCSO Wane first started tracking tags across the county, there was one writer who went to the trouble of scaling the Swansgate Centre as well as climbing onto a church roof.

But the officer said he would never try to reach some of the difficult and dangerous places where those responsible for graffiti are putting themselves, such as alongside the M1 and along railway tracks.

Bigger pieces of graffiti are often out of the public eye or done at night so people are less likely to see it happening.

But even if some of the artwork is amazing to look at, it is still criminal damage and the officer added: “I would like to think that if people see someone spraying something on the roadside that they would ring us.”

The RAD tag has been seen at numerous locations in Wellingborough

Free walls, a space where people can show their work legally, is one way the PCSO would like to see the problem tackled.

He said: “I am trying to find spaces throughout the county.

“At the moment I only have one space on the back of Daventry Police Station, but I am still chasing borough councillors to see if we can use spaces.

“I also want to try and get something set up in Finedon with one of the old underpasses.”

PCSO Wane admitted he will never eradicate the problem, but finding legal sites for writers and working with youngsters to explain the consequences of their actions as well as the cost of cleaning up graffiti can help.

He added: “There’s lots of ways it could be better managed.”

Community resolutions are often used to deal with graffiti, especially with low level offences, but a custodial sentence can also be given.

To get in touch, send an email to opillustration@northants.police.uk or follow @OP_ILLUSTRATION on Twitter.